Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wreaths Across America

Every year, a special ceremony takes place at Arlington. For the whole story go here.

One Of The Hardest Questions We Get Asked:
Is Why All This Effort For Those Who Have Passed, When There Are So Many Needs Amongst The Living?
There are a number of great organizations who support our living, and
wounded veterans in need. But let me share with you some of the things
we have learned in the last few years.

Our mission is to Remember, Honor, and Teach. We hear every day from
our veterans that it matters, and that they and their buddies know they
will not be forgotten.

While the wreaths are placed on headstones of those who have passed,
the Wreaths Across America experience is every bit as much for the
living – both those who give the wreath and those who will know their
loved one is being remembered.

Our organization serves many, but our compass and True North are the
Gold Star Families. We feel that if we are doing right by them and the
memories of their loved ones, we are on the right course.

The holiday season is an especially poignant time, a time for
traditional family get togethers. And there are many dinner tables with
an empty seat, for those away serving to protect our freedoms and in
some cases, for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We believe there
is no more important gesture than to take our time amid the hustle and
bustle of the holiday season, and remember how we come to enjoy and the
great cost at which these freedoms are provided.

There is something special about symbolic wreath, a circle with no
end and made from living evergreens with the sweet fragrance of balsam.
The act of placing the wreath, straightening the red bow, and taking a
moment of silence is a living tribute to those who put it all on the
line.